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What an Hour of Code Looks Like

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By Topics | Students & Educators

Activities that leave classrooms full of students hungry for more are every teacher's dream. The Hour of Code again and again produces stories of engaged students, not just focused on but delighted in their work. The Hour of Code calls for critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills to create games, solve puzzles, or navigate robots in real or virtual worlds. Students have so much fun (and so do the teachers and our SAS Curriculum Pathways volunteers)!

Now, while we didn't conduct any sophisticated research studies analyzing the causality of the engagement we witnessed, I think we can make a few assumptions. Sure, students love the Hour of Code for the novelty; this activity differs from what most students do on other days. But then there's the creative element, which personalizes the games or stories the students' code tells. They make it their own. Their work differs from yours or mine. Further, the Hour of Code lets them fail early and often. There is no expectation to get everything right on the first try. And that's where countless volunteers become amazed by the persistence, the tenacity, the grit students show with coding. And they are having so much fun!

Here is a recap of a few Hours of Code we had the pleasure to lead this CSEdWeek—Star Wars, Minecraft, Sphero, and lots of fun!

... And lastly...

 

Want to learn more about #CSEdWeek, the #HourofCode, and coding? Check out these how-to-get-started ideas:

Join Everyone (Well, 150 million) in the Hour of Code and CSEdWeek

Our Favorite #HourofCode Resources

Need Weekend Plans? Code with your Kids!

Computer Science is Everywhere: Coding in Your Art/Music/PE Classroom

A (CSEd)Week in the Life

And if you want to see more computer science in your local public school, here's how to get involved!

Tags #hourofcode computer science computer science education week CSEd CSEdWeek hour of code
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About Author

Scott McQuiggan

Scott McQuiggan leads SAS® Curriculum Pathways®, an interdisciplinary team focused on the development of no-cost educational software in the core disciplines at SAS. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina State University in 2009, where his research focused on affective reasoning in intelligent game-based learning environments. His research has been published in more than 30 journal articles and refereed conference proceedings, and been recognized through several best paper nominations including Best Student Paper Award at the International Conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction.

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